


Builds Character

by BestDeadFriendsForever



Series: Splitting Wood Builds Character [2]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Canon Era, M/M, but I kinda like it so..., this is still really silly, whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-02 00:37:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13306698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BestDeadFriendsForever/pseuds/BestDeadFriendsForever
Summary: Race watched Spot split wood and then decides to try it himself.





	Builds Character

            Race swung his legs and grinned as he listened to the hollow thunk when Spot’s axe stuck into the wood. Race was enjoying the view of Spot’s biceps flexing with each swing. “So… Spottie can I ask ya a question?”

            “What’s that?” Spot grunted out as he swung again.

            “What’re ya choppin’ wood for in t’e middle of the summer?” Race asked and looked up at the deep blue of the sky.

            “It’s easier ta do it a bit along than to do it all at once when it’s fuckin’ cold,” Spot said and set the axe down so he could stretch his back. “’Sides, it builds character or whatever the sayin is.” Spot picked up his discarded shirt and swiped it over his face to clear it of sweat. “Don’t act like you ain’t enjoyin’ the view neither.”

            “Never said I weren’t,” Race grinned and slipped down from the stack of crates he’d been perched on. “But if you wanted ta get all sweaty, I coulda come up with a few more fun ways ta do it.” Race grinned and went to slip his hand into Spot’s pants.

            “Knock it off,” Spot said and slapped Race’s hand away. “I gots ta get this stack finished. Then I gots ta get you back to Manhattan ‘fore Kelly skins me alive for not havin’ his precious second back ‘fore dark.”

            Race rolled his eyes but took his hands away. Spot went back to splitting wood and for a while Race just watched the flex of his arm and back muscles.

            “Lemme try,” Race said.

            “What?” Spot asked and turned to look at Race, leaning on the handle of the axe.

            “Lemme try,” Race said and puffed himself up before he started to shed his vest and push his suspenders off his shoulders.

            “You sure? ‘Cuz it’s harder than it looks,” Spot said and just kept his eyes on Race as Race stripped off his shirt, wiggling to get it over his head.

            “Shuddup and lemme try,” Race said and held his hand out for the axe.

            “Don’t say I didn’t warn ya,” Spot said and handed it over. The axe immediately thudded down to the ground, pulling Race’s arm with it. Spot snorted and slowly moved to stand behind Race. “Alrigh’ lemme show ya how it’s done.” Spot hold onto Race’s wrists and showed him how to hold the axe through the whole swing and then pointed out how to tell where to let the axe land. “Go on, then.”

            Spot stood back and wiped his face down with his shirt as Race swing and tried to split the log. A few times the axe got stuck and Spot laughed as Race flailed about trying to pull it out of where it was lodged in the wood. He moved over and pulled it out for Race before Race shoved him.

            “You’s an ass,” Race muttered, sweat pooling at his temples and in the dip of his back.

            “I warned ya!” Spot laughed and shook his head. “You didn’t wanna listen and that ain’t my fault!”

            “Why don’t you c’mere and kiss me instead o’ laughin’ at me?” Race asked and raised an eyebrow.

            “I ain’t kissin’ ya wit’ you smellin’ like that!” Spot protested as he looked at the sweat that Race was soaked in.

            “You ain’t so fresh lookin’ yousself!” Race pointed out.

            “Shuddup,” Spot muttered as he pulled his shirt back on and started to stack the pile he’d split.

            “Spottie…”

            “Don’t call me that,” Spot muttered as he tossed the last piece on the pile. He was wiping his hands off on his pants when he felt Race’s arms wind around his waist.

            “Gimme a kiss,” Race said against Spot’s neck.

            “Maybe I don’t feel like it,” Spot shot back but he was leaning into Race’s chest.

            “Well if ya ain’t sure,” Race grinned and spun Spot around before kissing him. Spot let himself relax into it and he twisted his fingers into Race’s curly blond hair the way he knew that Race liked. He was just about to let Race peel his shirt off again when he heard boots rattling the fire escape. Spot pulled back and looked up to see Chip and Blue clattering down. Blue was shouting and Chip looked like he was running for his life.

            “The hell’s goin’ on?” Spot shouted and didn’t back away from Race. All his boys knew what was what when it came to him and Race.

            “Blue’s gonna soak me!!” Chip said and the eleven year old dove behind Spot.

            Spot sighed heavily and pried Chip’s fingers away from his shirt. “What’d he do now?” Spot asked Blue who was glaring at Chip. Spot glanced down and noticed that Blue didn’t have any shoes on. “Where’re yous shoes?” Slowly the pieces fused together. Spot turned to give Chip a stern look. “What’d you do wit’ Blue’s shoes?”

            “He fuckin’ tied ‘em togetha and tossed ‘em over Mrs. O’Donoghue’s line!” Blue shouted and lunged for Chip again but Spot’s hand on his chest stopped him immediately.

            “Just go and ask ‘er for ‘em back. She’ll be pissed but take one of my quarters and give it ta ‘er and she’ll hush up quick.” Spot shook his head. Blue scowled and then took off to do that, muttering murderously to himself the whole way. “And you!” Spot whirled around to glare at Chip. “If I eva hear o’ ya doin’ somethin’ so _stupid_ again, I’ll soak ya meself!” Spot cuffed Chip around the head and shoved him. “Go on and do somethin’ useful!”

            Once both boys were out of sight, Race snorted and then started laughing. Spot turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

            “’M sorry, Spot. I just… it was a good prank,” Race grinned and Spot shook his head.

            “Them boys is gonna be the death o’ me,” Spot muttered and then picked up Race’s shirt, holding it out to him. “C’mon, wes two gots to get you back to Manhattan. Kelly’ll have a price on my ‘ead if I don’t.”

            “Alright, alright,” Race said and shimmied into his shirt. “But you owe me.”

            “Owe you what?” Spot asked and they started walking, shifting their suspenders back onto their shoulders.

            “You’s is gonna have to blow me the next time I’s here,” Race said and Spot looked at him.

            “Why’re you actin’ like that’s anythin’ new?” Spot asked and Race just laughed.

            “S’ppose you’s gonna have to get creative then,” Race winked and Spot felt his ears get hot.

            “S’ppose I will.”

**Author's Note:**

> And here's the Sprace version! Hope you enjoyed :)


End file.
